1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to child safety locks and, more specifically, to a child safety lock for cabinets that is designed to be retrofit to existing cabinetry without the use of tools or modification thereof.
Cabinet drawers and doors pose a constant hazard for toddlers and young children who are very curious and try to get into everything they can reach. A child could be severely injured by reaching up and pulling out a silverware drawer and having it fall on them, just to mention one such danger. Parents are aware of this and trying to secure cabinet drawers and doors is a vital part of child-proofing a house. Unfortunately, existing methods are cumbersome and often entail drilling the cabinetry or the insertion of screws therein.
The present invention provides a means for rapidly installing a child safety lock to selectively secure cabinet drawers and doors by using tie-wraps to mount a horizontally oriented base standoff onto the front rail of the cabinetry in a manner that won't hinder opening and closing the related doors and drawers. At least one spring-loaded rotative latch member is pivotally disposed on the base standoff above a notched out section. The latch member stays frictionally engaged in the horizontal position due to the bias provided by spring-loaded pivot point when access is desired. To restrict access therein, the adult simply turns the latch member to the vertical position to block the door/drawer wherein the spring bias pulls it into the notched out section thereby necessitating the more complex action of simultaneously pulling and turning the latch member to allow access thereto.
Removal of the present invention simply entails cutting the tie-wraps. The non-invasive nature of the present invention also provides portability to quickly childproof someone else's house when visiting others since no damage such as screw holes are present upon removal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other child safety devices designed for cabinet doors and drawers. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 3,017 issued to Blake et al. on Mar. 21, 1833.
Another patent was issued to Moulton on Apr. 29, 1856 as U.S. Pat. No. 14,773. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 27,265 was issued to Bligh on Feb. 28, 1860. Another was issued to Arnold on Jul. 19, 1870 as U.S. Pat. No. 105,409 and still yet another was issued on Sep. 6, 1870 to Westcott as U.S. Pat. No. 107,139.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 187,530 was issued to Hasselbach et al. on Feb. 20, 1877. Another was issued to Weis on Apr. 27, 1880 as U.S. Pat. No. 227,082 and still yet another was issued on Sep. 11, 1883 to Conklin as U.S. Pat. No. 284,615
Another patent was issued to Watrous on Jun. 24, 1884 as U.S. Pat. No. 300,926. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 382,086 was issued to Herrick on May 1, 1888. Another was issued to Schuyler on Mar. 27, 1900 as U.S. Pat. No. 646,239 and still yet another was issued on Jan. 27, 1914 to Lund as U.S. Pat. No. 1,085,277.
Another patent was issued to Arnold on Nov. 28, 1922 as U.S. Pat. No. 1,437,083. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 1,765,614 was issued to Roberts, et al. on Jun. 24, 1930. Another was issued to Mastrangelo et al. on Oct. 2, 1951 as U.S. Pat. No. 2,569,941 and still yet another was issued on Aug. 12, 2003 to Niese as U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,453.
Another patent was issued to Mackie on Sep. 16, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,706. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,429 was issued to Wildman on Oct. 12, 2004 and still yet another was issued on May 30, 2006 to Hall, et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,053.